wfn.org | Circuit Rider Award Discontinued

[owner-umethnews@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3542 notes).

Note 3542 by UMNS on April 7, 1997 at 17:31 Eastern (4786 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                             188(10-71B){3542}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             April 7, 1997

Publishing House suspends Circuit Rider Award;
implements Disciple Bible Study fund

                                 
     SAN ANTONIO (UMNS) -- The Circuit Rider Award, an annual
award given by the Board of the United Methodist Publishing House
for clergy  and local church achievements in church growth and
outreach ministries, has been suspended.
     The 38 members of the board voted to suspend the 10-year old
award program during their spring meeting, here April 4-5.  The
recommendation came from the board's executive committee.
     Award recipients are given $1,000 and a plaque for
outstanding work in church growth and evangelism.
     Board chairman Randy Smith, Houston, Texas, cited cost in
both time and money, the award's lack of high visibility because
of the number of awards given by groups in the church, and the
criteria for selecting winners as reasons for doing away with it. 
     He said the awards given by various church boards and
agencies may not duplicate the Circuit Rider Award but are "very
close in the stated purpose of their award." After evaluating the
Circuit Rider award, the board's leadership committee felt it was
time to discontinue it but with the possibility of reinstating it
later.
     At a dinner April 3 final recipients, the Revs. Juanita and
Rudy Ramus, two local pastors serving St. John United Methodist
Church in Houston, were honored for helping transform a 79-year-
old white Church with 23 members in 1992, to a predominately black
church with a membership of 1,331 at the end of 1995.
     Board members also approved "Disciple Connection," a fund to
extend participation in the Disciple Bible Study program to groups
within and beyond the United States that are not able to pay for
materials and training. The fund will be managed by the Publishing
House with contributions through an appeal to Disciple Bible Study
graduates and participants.
     In his state of the publishing house address, Neil Alexander,
president and publisher, said in spite of the continuing decline
in sales of United Methodist curriculum, the current financial
situation of the United Methodist Publishing House is "positive." 
     Sales for the first six months of fiscal 1996-97 were $56.8
million, he said, an increase of $5.2 million over last year, and
nearly $1.5 million better than budgeted. "This is good news," he
said, "which is amplified by controls achieved in our spending."
The total spending at the house has been reduced by more than $1.2
million. 
     Alexander also reported that the gain in net revenue of $4.3
million represents a "significant" turnaround given a net
operating loss of more than $196,000 for the same period last
year.
     "Sales drive these numbers," he said. There are numerous
products that have shown a 10 percent increase in sales but half 
the 10 percent comes from two products -- Disciple III and the
Book of Discipline. 
     Alexander said better expense control, better inventory
management and careful administration of cash also were involved
together with the reduction of 43 staff positions through
attrition and early retirements to produce the positive results.
     He told board members that "every" denominational publisher
is discussing the decline in sales of Sunday School materials and
resources.
     The decline, he said, "is tied to fundamental shifts in how
churches engage in and carry out ministry, and the types of
materials they use." The practices of the local churches require
that the publishing house make adjustments in its business
strategies to ensure a viable future in its publishing ministry.
     In other business, board members:
     * passed a resolution affirming the work of the staff;
     * approved an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action
policy and commitment;
     * celebrated the 1996 General Conference approval of Mil
Voces para Celebrar,  the Hispanic hymnal, with members of the Rio
Grande Annual Conference;
     * learned that sales of Hispanic resources to children, youth
and adults have decreased;
     * learned that the Cokesbury Bookstore, at the United
Methodist Reporter building in Dallas, closed in December because
of operating deficits and fewer than expected visitors to the
building;
     * learned that Disciple: Into the Word, Into the World, is
available for use by Korean congregations.
     The next meeting will be Oct. 13-14 in Nashville.
                              #  #  #

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------